Marketing tips, observations & philosophy, plus a few rants and random musings - from those who practice, preach and teach marketing, research, advertising, public relations and business strategy.

Friday, June 24, 2005

More on Paid Trials

As I watch the world of selling move from "free trial offer" to paying a prospect to try the product, I recall listening to Bill Gates six or seven years ago.

Gates was speaking to the National Press Club. He was talking about the evolution of the digital world and shared the following prognostication: "In the years ahead, you'll see an electronic world in which companies will be offering you money to read their e-mail message. Click to open and read this message from Company XYZ, and fifty cents of cyber cash will be deposited to your account."

I am not sure that we're there yet, but if not, we're pretty close. With e-mail and Pay Pal and other forms of e-commerce, all of it is possible today.

1 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Companies paying you to read their e-mail.

We are there. Consider this scenario.. if you'd signed up as an affiliate for company Z, received an e-mail from Co. Z offering you a product; your purchase will earn you money. Isn't this same as paying someone to read your product information.